HIFF@HOME: See “Best of HIFF” Short Films online and for free starting April 3

The far-reaching impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the independent filmmaking ecosystem, canceling film festivals worldwide and preventing audiences from building community through cinema. That is why we are launching HIFF@HOME to bring the film festival to you.

HIFF@HOME is a specially curated program of short films, which will be available to view online and for free starting April 3! These selected short films have screened in previous HIFF editions, many of them award winners. These films represent a broad spectrum of stories and were produced in countries across the Asia-Pacific Rim, including award-winning shorts produced right here in Hawai‘i.

Our team at the HIFF has decided to postpone all scheduled events to the summer months to ensure public safety. HIFF remains deeply committed to supporting our artists and are working creatively to bring our global ohana together. With state and city and county mandates to “shelter-in-place” and practice physical distancing, HIFF sees this obstacle as a unique opportunity for virtual community building and engagement.

“Always a champion for independent and international cinema, we are excited to offer our audiences and ohana at home the opportunity to supplement their standard streaming and cable services with HIFF’s free, authentic and entertaining independent stories and short films during this time.” says HIFF Executive Director Beckie Stocchetti. “We will also be partnering with local restaurants to showcase their menu offerings in our Dinner and a Movie Highlight via our eNews and social media channels (more to be announced soon). We would like to encourage all of Hawai’i to continue supporting the community by partaking in take-out dinner and HIFF movie nights with their loved ones.”

Launching on April 3, HIFF@HOME will be available to stream for free at https://hiff.org/hiff-at-home. We encourage our audiences to see these “Best of HIFF Shorts,” either to revisit films they’ve seen at past festivals, or discover for the very first time.

Some films that will be ready to view at launch are: TAMA TU directed by Oscar winner Taika Waititi (JOJO RABBIT); TSUYAKO directed by HIKARI (37 SECONDS, HIFF39 Grand Prize Winner); and DOWN ON THE SIDEWALK IN WAIKIKI (HIFF39 Made in Hawai‘i Runner-Up Winner) directed by Justyn Ah Chong. A total of 10 films will be ready to view starting April 3. In the following weeks, HIFF’s programmers will add more short films to stream and view online.